HOBART, Australia, CMC – Jason Holder marked his first Australian Big Bash appearance with a win as fellow West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite grabbed a couple of wickets to help Sydney Sixers overcome Adelaide Strikers by 38 runs here yesterday.
Fresh from the disappointing tour of New Zealand where West Indies lost both Tests heavily, Holder’s only fireworks came when he struck a four and a six in scoring 11 not out off five balls towards the end as Sixers ended on 177 for five.
Daniel Christian top-scored with a 16-ball 50 while captain Daniel Hughes stroked a patient 46 not out off 41 balls.
In reply, Strikers were restricted to 139 for seven with seamer Brathwaite producing a top spell of two for 24 from four overs, and let-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe (2-8) and off-spinner Benjamin Manenti (2-23) also grabbing two wickets each.
Handed the new ball, fast bowler Holder sent down two expensive overs which cost 26 runs.
Jonathan Wells crawled to the top score of 36 not out off 38 balls while openers Phil Salt (28) and Jake Weatherald (27) entertained with cameos.
Sent in, Sixers were going nowhere at 58 for three in the 12th over before Christian and Hughes pulled the innings around in a 58-run fourth wicket stand.
Christian belted four fours and five sixes before holing out to mid-wicket in the 15th over off seamer Wes Agar (2-47) but Hughes, who punched a four and a couple of sixes, added 37 for the fifth wicket with Jordan Silk (15) and a further 24 for the sixth with Holder to keep the innings going.
Salt and Weatherald then provided a flying start to the run chase, posting 52 for the first wicket off a mere 27 balls.
Englishman Salt, who crunched five fours and a six in a 16-ball effort, singlehanded took 18 runs from Holder’s second over – the fourth of the innings – to drive the Barbadian from the attack.
Weatherald, meanwhile, counted four fours and a six off 15 balls but when he fell within 11 balls of Salt, the innings faltered and Wells scored too slowly to revive the run chase.
Brathwaite accounted for captain Alex Carey for nine at the start of the 11th over, bowled through the gate and then returned in the final over to have Afghan star Rashid Khan (11) caught at deep square by Holder.
